Verbs show action or state of being.

Examples: go, is An action verb expresses a

physical or mental action.

Example: He paints.

We thought about it.

An action verb is a word that names an action. It may contain more than one word.

Notice the following action verbs.

Sports experts write about the football player Jim Thorpe even today. Thorpe blocked like a tank. He tackled like a tornado. In every game Thorpe attacked his opponents with all his might. He caught the ball skillfully and charged ahead fearlessly. Experts still remember and honor Thorpe’s greatness.

A

C

T

I

O

N

V

E

R

B

S

An action verb can express physical actions, such as writing and running, or mental activities such as thinking and honoring.

A

C

T

I

O

N

V

E

R

B

S

Physical

write

block

tackle

catch

charge

Mental

remember

honor

prefer

excel

regarded

LINKING

VERBS

Linking Verbs and Predicate Words

A linking verb connects the subject of a sentence with a noun or an adjective in the predicate.

John McGraw was the manager.

Linking verbs tell what the subject is or is like.

Linking Verb

Subject Predicate Noun

Common Linking Verbsbe becomegrowseem turnappear tastelook feelsmell sound

Many of these linking verbs can also be used as action verbs.

Chandra turned thirteen. (Linking Verb)

The car turned the corner. (Action Verb)

Predicate Nouns

Sam is a pitcher.

Susan was our best player.

Will you be my friend?

A predicate noun follows a linking verb. It tells what the subject is.

Predicate Adjectives

Samantha is beautiful.

Susan was bored with sports.

Will the game be interesting?

A predicate adjective follows a linking verb. It describes the subject by telling

what it is like.

HELPING

VERBS

Main Verbs and Helping VerbsVerbs have four principal parts that are used to form all tenses. The chart below show how the principal parts of most verbs are formed..

Principal Parts of VerbsBase Form Present

ParticiplePast Form Past

Participle

jump jumping jumped jumped

The principal parts of verbs are often combined with helping verbs to form verb phrases.

Helping Verbs Defined

A helping verb is a verb that helps the main verb tell about an action or make a statement.

Helping Verbs Listis have should shall

was has could will

were had would do

are did

am may does

be might can

been, being must

A verb phrase consists of one or more helping verbs followed by a main verb.

Helping Verbs and Verb Phrases

In the sentence above, the word are is the helping verb, and the present participle jumping is the main verb. Together they form a verb phrase.

A verb phrase consists of one or more helping verbs followed by a main verb.

The students are jumping rope now.

TRANSITIVE AND INTRANSITIVE

VERBS

Transitive Verbs Transitive verbs have direct objects.

Direct objects receive the action of a verb. It answers the question whom?

or what? after an action verb.

The quarterback throws the football.

what?

Action Verb Direct Object

Intransitive VerbsSometimes an action verb does

not have a direct object. Then the verb is intransitive.

The singer sang well.

In the above sentence , well does not answer the question whom? or what?.

Action Verb

Verbs with Indirect Objects An indirect object answers the question to whom? or for whom? an action is done

Michael Jordan shows his teammates new shots.

Action Verb

what?

Direct Object

to whom?

Indirect object

VERB TENSE

A present tense of a verb names an action that happens regularly. It can also express a general truth.

Present, Past, and Future TensesThe tense of a verb tells when an action takes place.

Present Tense Forms

Singular

I race.

You race.

He, she, or it races.

Plural

We race.

You race.

They race.

A past tense of a verb names an action already happened.

The tense of a verb tells when an action takes place.

Past Tense Forms

Singular

I raced.

You raced.

He, she, or it raced.

Plural

We raced.

You raced.

They raced.

The past tense of many verbs is formed by adding –ed to the base form of the verb.

A future tense of a verb names an action that will take place in the future.

Future Tense Forms

Singular

I will (shall) go.

You will go.

He, she, or it will go.

Plural

We will (shall) go.

You will go.

They will go.

In the future tense the word will is used with the verb. Sometimes shall is used when the

pronoun I or we is the subject.

Helping Verbs TensePresent

am – is - are

Past

was -were

Past Participle

have – has - had

Combine with the present participle form of the verb.

Combine with the past participle form of the verb.

Write the Present Participle, Past, and Past Participle form of the following verbs.

Make 4 columns.

1. dance 2. fly 3. score

4. run 5. adjust 6. break

7. sing 8. bounce

9. profit 10. drive

Activity